Sanitary hog house and pen



J. c. FITZPATRICK 1,375,433

SANITARY HOG HOUSE AND` PEN Sept. 6, 1932.

Filed Dec. 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept 6, 1932 J. c. FITZPATRICK 1,875,433

SANITARY HOG HOUSE AND PEN Filed Deo. l5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEY faoI Patented Sept. 6,r 1932! "fuimrsn STATES PATENT OFFICE Ineens c. rrrzrafrarox, or IIIGGINSVILLE, -ivirssounrnssreivon 0F ONE-FOURTH To MARY Frrzrarnrcx AND ONE-FOURTH To NAOMI Frrzrn'rnrcx, Born 'or HIGGINS- VILLE, :MISSOURI lSANITARY :HOG HOUSE` AND PEN v k.Applcatio'n. filed December 15, `193 0'."'Se'ria1 No; 502,458.

The present invention relates to farm equipment, and aims to provide an improvedpen and shelter construction for the farrowing of pigs lwith 'a view toproperlyconfining the Afarrowing hog and her litter during the farrowing period, with the purpose ofprotlecting the litter against contamination by contact with the impurities andfinfections to which they are exposed in the conditions 110 prevailing with the usual barn floors or barn yardsas ordinarily maintained.

In accordance with my invention',I provide apen and house construction equipped with .a common floor and adapted to be transported -fromone point to another, as from the barn 'or barnyard to a pasture lot, thefimproved construction providing communication `between the open pen anda closed shelter, and also having provisionl for all necessary ventilation as well as regulationofsh'adeand sunlight, and for permitting-the cleaning of both the pen and shelter house and supply of the necessarybedding material from time to time, in a. convenient manner.

It is also sought to provide a construction of a lmoclrdown'character, permitting it to be manufactured and transported incompact forin', and readily "assembled at the place ofl use. f

With the `foregoing general' objects in'view, as well as minorV objects as will appearin the course of the detailed specification, the invention will now be described by reference to the 'accompanying drawings illustrating one practical and ellicient embodiment ofthe prO- posed improvement, after which those features deemed to be novel lwill be set forth and claimed. f i In the drawingsl Figure 1 is a perspective view illustratinga hog house and pen constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure V2 is a similar' `view with various parts of the shelter equipment In different p0-` sitions, for regulation of the `air and sunlight conditions, and otherportions broken away.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate details herein'- after referred to.

It is well known that the conditionsv prevailing about the Aaveragefarm and farm lot are'far from idealas regards their -sanitary character, and a truly sanitary condition, free from all contamination and safe for theproper breeding of hogs, is at the best'dilcult to maintain. As a result, the average hog lot and shelter are alivewith infectious parasites, fromv which each new litter of pigs is in constant danger of infection, because of constant exposure to Contact and contamination by the surrounding filth in 'which these impurities abound.l Astep has been made in the right direction by providing individual farrow pens, and keepingthe' hog and its litter confined in such pens,but this'protection is inter-` rupted wheneverthe animals are removed for 'transport from onepoint to another, as ingoing to and from a pasture lot. I

F or correcting these conditions, I provide a combinationfpen and shelter houseadapted to beassemb-led in a unitary construction, as a permanenthome for the hog and its litter y during Vvthe farrowing period, by virtue of its portable nature enabling it to be hauled from one lpoint to `another,rwhile serving alll the 'needs o f the animals throughout the period in The Aflooring is mounted upon suitable sills 11 adapted to serve las sled runner-s for haul-` ing the entire assembly from place to place,

as by means of a clevis member 12 to which any desired form or hitch may be made.l

For the shelter construction two sidewall members 13 are provided, which may be maintained in upright position by any suitable means, such as brackets 14 at thelower -corners o'fsaid members, and having'- screws i `15 for attachment to the flooring 10. The horizontal frame pieces 16 of these wallmembers 13 areat' a suitable height,-not over six inches above the flooring 10, to avoid injury to the ,litter by being jammed lbeneathisaid frame 16. `At` the top, the wallfmembers are rconnected by a 'ridge pole -18 formed with is adapted to be supported in raised position by means of props 25 pivoted, as indicated at 26, to said member 22 and adapted to be supportedin pockets 27 at the outer ends ot the trame members 16. In the closed position of Vthe canopymember 22, said props 25 are rested upon the horizontal frame members 16, and

retained thereon by cleats 28. Latches 23 are carried by the lower corners of the member 22ior securing it in closed position.

Supported by the wallmembers 13 inoppositely inclined position is a roof member 17 held in'place by-screws 19and provided with a pair ofdoors'31 adapted to swing on hinges 33, as shown in Figure 2.

Acrossthe'front sides of the wall members 13 is provided a wall frame 29Vheld in place by .means of screws 30 and carrying two swingingdoors, a small door 31 and a larger door 34 mounted on hinges 36, for providing proper communicationV between the interior of the shelter house and the exterior pen.

The enclosure for the open pen is provided in the form of ordinary fencing construction mounted `upon the flooring 10 outside the shelter house, and comprisingthe usual horizontal vrails 37 carried by posts38. The rear ends of the top rails 37 of theside frame members: are supported inl strap .loops 40 carried by the wall members 13, while similar strap loops 41 are provided ormounting the lower ends ot the posts 38. k'Ihe posts at the outer corners of the pen are detachably secured togetherby means of latches 42. One rofthe side fencing sections Yis also provided with a small gate 44 adapted tor movement on hinges 45, for passage of the hogs in going to. and from the pen.

In the use of the combination pen and shelter house, as above described, the hog at the time of tarrowing is confined therein, and so confined during all the time she and her litter are on the barnyard premises. In this way the ranimals are kept entirely out of contact with the ground or iloor of the premises, and -thus protected from any contamin ation whereby they might become infected with dangerhand, and the portability of the construction enabling it to be placed wherever it is most convenient to feed and other supplies.

When it is desired to move the structure from one point to another, as in putting the animals out to a pasture lot, this is done by simply hitching onto the connection 12 and hauling the entire outiit to the new location; here the animals may be allowed free movement into and out of the structure, and the swinging roof member 22 left propped. up, to afford both a shelter 'and shading canopy as illustrated in Figure 2. Besides this the various doors 31, 32 and 34 may be opened for proper regulation of light and air circulation at all times.

It is `thus apparent that a practical and highlyeliicient arrangement and construction have been 'devised for providing a combination hog shelter and pen for the purpose of maintaining wholesome and sanitary living conditions 'for the hog and its litter at all times, since the animals are constantly conlined-.to an environment where the proper conditions may be preserved with a minimum of efl'ort and' attention on the part of the owner.. 'The construction Vis well adapted for .economical manufacture in parts or sections which can be shipped or transported in a knock-down condition and thereafter con-V .tary looringfmember and framework providing a combination hog shelter house and pen rvin-communication with each other andV utilizing the top of said flooring member as a ycommon'iloor surface for the shelter house and pen, the house portion of said framework having Va removable ridge pole, and a swinging combination wall and roof member having hook elements removably engaging said pole and pivotal prop members for supporting said swinging member in raised position to serve as an open shelter member.V

In witness whereof I hereunto aix my signature.

' JAMES C. FITZPATRICK.

ous parasites Yor other-infectionsv to which theywould otherwise'be exposed. At the same time the looringl() of the pen and sheltermay be readily cleaned and bedded Vand kept in a thoroughly sanitary condition, the interior being readily accessibleto the farm 

